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Flooded roads, downed power lines, all-in-all it’s been a messy day on the California coast, thanks to heavy rains and wind sweeping in from Hawaii.

All in what a recent study analyzing tree rings calls the worst drought in at least 1,200 years.

Although there are 37 times over the past 1,200 years when there were three-year dry periods in California, no period had as little rainfall and as hot of temperatures as 2012-14, the scientists concluded.

Which can make storms, when they do come, even more damaging. The dry earth is less able to absorb the water, so it runs off into low lying areas, including 101 in San Jose, downtown Rhonert Park, and vineyards in Sonoma.

This is exactly the kind of situation that we prep for. Keeping new batteries in flashlights, having enough food for a couple of days, being able to batten down the hatches on a moments notice, paying attention to the weather reports so you don’t find yourself up to your windshield while driving through a “puddle” on your way to work.

The storm is forecast to continue through Friday night, so please stay safe out there (or better yet, stay in).